This is a notice that representatives for the Board of Directors of the Oskaloosa Community School District will be meeting in open session to receive the initial collective bargaining proposal from representatives of the Oskaloosa Education Association on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, at 4:15PM in the Board Room of the George Daily Auditorium, 1800 North 3rd Street.

(OSKALOOSA, Iowa) – On the evening of January 8, 2017, there was a small, contained fire in the kitchen area of the cafeteria in the Dana M. Atkins Memorial Union.  The fire resulted in limited damage and no one was hurt.  All student meals will be served in the Chief Mahaska Room in the Dana M. Atkins Memorial Union until further notice and classes will operate as usual in the Union and across campus.

William Penn University would like to thank Campus Security, the Oskaloosa Fire Department, and the Oskaloosa Police Department for their fast response to the incident.

OSKALOOSA — A special election will be held to fill a position on the Oskaloosa Community School District Board of Directors.
On Tuesday, Jan. 10, qualified voters may cast a vote for the vacancy in Director District No. 1, formerly held by Nicholas Hansen. Those eligible to vote in the special election are to vote at the Fellowship Bible Church Activity Building, located at A Ave. West and North I St..

The candidates vying for the position are Elaine Fontana and Amanda McGraw. Both are excellent potential board members, Oskaloosa Community
School District Superintendent Russ Reiter said.
“They both have children in the district and have a concern for their children’s education,” he said, “so I think they’re in for all the right reasons.”

According to a press release from Mahaska County Election Commissioner Susan L. Brown, the voting location is fully accessible to persons with physical disabilities and also has a voter assist ballot marking device which allows persons with sight disabilities to vote independently.

Additionally, there is an audio-only option to aid with voting. Voters may also have another person assist them to vote.

Curb-side voting is also available for voters unable to leave their car, according to the release.

Those opting for curbside voting should bring someone with them or contact the voting site or the County Auditor’s office at 641-673-7148 with
an expected time of arrival.

All of the accessibility options are also available at the Mahaska County Courthouse for absentee voting through 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10. To be qualified to vote, every elector must be registered to vote as required by Chapter 48A, Code of Iowa 2016, according to the release.
Reiter stated that it is important to both be informed and to participate in the election.

“We hope people will go out and vote and be informed voters and know what they’re voting for and voting about,” he said. “We’re willing to sit down and work with whomever’s elected, and we hope it turns out well.

Participating in the election is about having input into the system, Reiter said.
“And making a difference in the community and the lives of the election that we work with,” he added. “Sometimes we as educators look at situations
and go ‘well that’s obvious,’ but we always try to answer a question, which is what is best for kids.”

People sometimes ask why certain decisions are made, Reiter said.

“Sometimes we have constraints from legislature or the state because of laws, rules, financials,” he said. “But we always try to make our decisions
on what’s best for the kids, best for education and overall health of the school district.”

Story provided by The Oskaloosa Herald

OSKALOOSA — Oskaloosa Elementary School (OES) fourth graders will get an opportunity to talk with an astronaut serving on the International
Space Station.

The seven OES fourth grade classes – 157 students – will be visiting the IPTV headquarters in Johnson on Jan. 19 to attend the station’s downlink with Dr. Peggy Whitson. Whitson, originally from Mt. Ayr, is part of Expedition 50/51 to the International Space Station (ISS). In addition to the OES students, a fourth grade class from Mt. Ayr will also be attending.

“Our superintendent, Russ Reiter, was superintendent in Mt. Ayr, where she is from,” said OES 3-5 Principal Tim Veiseth. “The two classes are Mt. Ayr’s fourth grade and our fourth grade because of her connection with Mr. Reiter.”

Reiter said he had attempted to get Whitson to visit OES but Whitson left for her mission before anything could be nailed down.

“Then [IPTV] contacted us to see if we would be interested in doing that, and chose our [school] and Mt. Ayr,” Reiter said. “It’s nice to keep that connection with Peggy. She’s outstanding in all that she’s done.”

The chance for the students to speak with Whitson while she’s in space is a great honor, Reiter commented.

“The fourth grade [students] should be excited,” he said. “The community should be excited.”
The students are absolutely excited about the event, Veiseth said.

“We found out about it the first part of October,” he said. “On Nov. 17, people from IPTV came down. There were three activities [the students] needed to do.”

One was a mission patch activity, where the OES students designed their own patches. According to information from IPTV, each expedition to the ISS has its own mission patch, which has the names of the crew and includes a design showing aspects of the mission and the crew’s lives.
The students also read a short biography on Whitson, and IPTV recommended students read more about space and astronauts in the time before the event.

The final assignment from IPTV was for the students to come up with questions for Whitson.

“Twenty kids will have a chance to talk to her and ask a question while she’s up in the International Space Station,” Veiseth said. Students were each to come up with several questions.

Veiseth stated that he didn’t know if the students really know a lot about what they’re in for.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for our kids,” he said. “IPTV will actually be broadcasting this around the state of Iowa so other kids can see it.
It’s a neat opportunity for our kids to go up there and be a part of it.”

Stor provided by the Oskaloosa Herald